Pier runners

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi guys, don't think this topic has ever been addressed, so here goes. Not that I have ever been a pier runner yet😁 an not with 30 + something cruises, but what do the crew members say to those who arrive back at the ship, when they are late? A coworker had to laugh at the pier runners, that he saw on his phone. Inquiring minds would like to know. Thanks.

[wdwkings]

I’m guessing if they are a true pier runner and miss the ship, the crew don’t say anything, they might wave as they sail away.  

[PhillyFan33579]

Not sure I understand your question. Crew members would be on the ship in the situation you described. There still might be port workers on the pier, but they are not RCI employees. 

[leaveitallbehind]

Welcome back??

[wcook]

I’ve cruised with people who got back after all aboard time but before the ship left. The crew gave them the same “welcome back onboard” they give everybody. Nobody lectured them about being late or anything like that. 

[Donald]

When we see them on the pier, we shout” Run Forrest, Run !!!”

[John Bull]

There's no chance of conversation with those who don't run fast enough.

 

Those who just make it are taken to a security section in the bowels of the ship for a de-brief

https://st.depositphotos.com/65297750/55124/i/600/depositphotos_551241586-stock-photo-hunedoara-romania-september-2019-hunedoara.jpg

 

JB 🙂

[CDNPolar]

I would expect that if they are literally jumping the gangway as they are about to lift it that they might get a very polite comment that they "almost missed sailing" with a smile and a chuckle but I would not expect any harsh kind of conversation at all.  Customer Service on a ship is not about reprimanding someone unless their actions endanger the ship or other passengers - IMO.

[sparks1093]

8 hours ago, wcook said:

I’ve cruised with people who got back after all aboard time but before the ship left. The crew gave them the same “welcome back onboard” they give everybody. Nobody lectured them about being late or anything like that. 

This was us, once. The excursion we were on was running late in returning to the ship and as we were on the way back I could hear the ship calling the bus driver on the radio. When we pulled up they wanted us to run to get on the ship, but I'm in no shape to do that so I didn't. They pulled the gangway up after we all boarded.

[BeasleysMom66]

Happened to me once too.  The guys driving the boat trip we were all on were in no hurry to return to the pier.  I RAN HARD to get to the boat and they pulled the gangway up after me.  It was my first cruise and I had no idea what a pier runner was but you can believe I have made darn sure that never happens again.  

[mammajamma2013]

16 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hi guys, don't think this topic has ever been addressed, so here goes.

There are lots of posts about pier runners. Makes some interesting reading.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Buh bye.

[Mum2Mercury]

4 hours ago, mammajamma2013 said:

There are lots of posts about pier runners. Makes some interesting reading.

Yeah, in fact posts about pier runners are more numerous than pier runners themselves. 

[CruiserBruce]

28 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yeah, in fact posts about pier runners are more numerous than pier runners themselves. 

Good point...FAR more numerous.

[Mike981]

Years ago our family of four got back to the ship and stood on our balcony watching folks that were very close to being left behind. I could not believe the number of people still walking down the pier slowly and apparently not a worry in the world. I kept saying it over and over, then my wife said "you know there is another ship down the pier. I guess I missed it on our way back to our ship and from our room you couldn't see it. If memory serves the pier was L shaped.

 

One of our first cruises our flight (same day) to the ship was severely delayed and the only reason they held the ship was because most of the people on the flight were taking the same cruise. That was not fun and the last time we flew in the same day.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Mike981 said:

That was not fun and the last time we flew in the same day.

Hopefully it never takes anyone more than once.

[janetz]

Type in pier runners on YouTube. Pretty funny 😊

[mom says]

On 5/16/2024 at 3:32 PM, Mum2Mercury said:

Yeah, in fact posts about pier runners are more numerous than pier runners themselves. 

One, or two pier runners; and hundreds of observers watching from the ship(s). So no surprise there.

[Mum2Mercury]

41 minutes ago, mom says said:

One, or two pier runners; and hundreds of observers watching from the ship(s). So no surprise there.

More like one or two pier runners every tenth cruise.  

Thing is, once someone makes a video, that's on the internet forever, and it gives the impression that people barely make it back on every cruise.  

[ldubs]

On 5/17/2024 at 3:21 PM, mom says said:

One, or two pier runners; and hundreds of observers watching from the ship(s). So no surprise there.

 

I didn't know that was a thing unitl last time in Caribbean (can't remember which port).   The port-side rails were crowded with pier runner watchers.  

[leaveitallbehind]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I didn't know that was a thing unitl last time in Caribbean (can't remember which port).   The port-side rails were crowded with pier runner watchers.  

It seems to have become a thing.  Along with many passengers watching at the railing, we have experienced two.  One (which I mentioned on another thread) in Cozumel where a couple, who never had the opportunity to be pier runners, was brought to the ship about a mile from the port in a small boat, so they rejoined us.

 

Another in Bermuda where, although it wasn't our ship, we watched as a young woman in a bathing suit running and waving frantically while pushing a baby in a stroller watched as her NCL ship was pulling away from the pier - and did not return.  Very sad, actually.  She then disappeared back up the terminal. Our ship left minutes after after.

Edited May 19 by leaveitallbehind

[CDNPolar]

I had friends that booked a private excursion that literally made it to the ship as they were about to pull the gangway.  

 

Personally we are wary of booking private excursions unless the return time is well before all aboard and we know that we might have options to get back to the ship if something goes wrong... such as Uber.

[ldubs]

18 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

It seems to have become a thing.  Along with many passengers watching at the railing, we have experienced two.  One (which I mentioned on another thread) in Cozumel where a couple, who never had the opportunity to be pier runners, was brought to the ship about a mile from the port in a small boat, so they rejoined us.

 

Another in Bermuda where, although it wasn't our ship, we watched as a young woman in a bathing suit running and waving frantically while pushing a baby in a stroller watched as her NCL ship was pulling away from the pier - and did not return.  Very sad, actually.  She then disappeared back up the terminal. Our ship left minutes after after.

 

Aw, the mom with the baby stroller. I feel sad for her too.   

[XBGuy]

Maybe @Copper10-8 could chime in here, and discuss whether anybody on the ship has a conversation with late arrivals.

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

Maybe @Copper10-8 could chime in here, and discuss whether anybody on the ship has a conversation with late arrivals.

 

 

So, the answer to that is Yes. That's why it is important for us as passengers to include our/your cell/mobile #s when you prepare your cruise docs. That phone # (and your landline of course won't work for this purpose) is inputted on your profile in the laptops and onboard computers that both the check-in agents at your embarkation port, as well as Guest Services use.

 

I've been present as SECO (security officer) numerous times on embarkation day when we had passengers that were AWOL/no-shows, or just plain late arriving at the cruise terminal. When it get's close to All Aboard time and there are still pax outstanding, the check-in supervisor inside the terminal will start calling the cell phones of those pax in an effort to find our their status and, in particular if they are running late, their ETA to the terminal. That info is relayed by that supervisor to the bridge as well as to guest relations on the ship via portable radio. The captain will wait for confirmed pax if he is able and has time. Sometimes he does, and other times he doesn't, and those late running pax will have to (usually) fly to the first port (at their cost) to meet the ship there.    

 

As far as late runners at routine ports o' call that the ship is calling at, the same principle applies, but those calls are made to the late running pax by someone in Guest Relations on the ship. That particular process is always initiated by the SECO at the gangway who is looking at one of the gangway laptops which keeps an accurate count of who is onboard (pax and crew) and identifies those (by name, cabin #, date of birth, picture ID, etc.). The SECO will relay that info to the bridge so the captain and staff captain are aware that there are missing guests (or crew, that also happens).

 

So, as stated, Guest Relations will attempt to reach those missing pax via their cell phone # and attempt to find out the reason for being late and the ETA back to the ship. The captain will have the same decision to make as on embarkation day: can he wait a bit or does he have to leave now. SOP is (when it gets close to reaching All Aboard time) for a Guest Relations supervisor and one security guard to go to that guest's stateroom where the door is opened via master key, followed by the safe (via a by-pass tool) because 95-99% of the time, that is the location where passengers store their passports during their cruise.

 

Those passports are retrieved and handed to the SECO at the gangway. When the decision is reached that the ship can't wait any longer, the captain will instruct the SECO to "pull the gangway" and close the shell doors. Just prior to that occurring, the SECO will hand the guest passports over to the local HAL port agent who will immediately become the "life line" of the missing/late running pax.

 

He/she will meet the guests on the pier after the ship has departed, and will arrange a hotel and flights at/to the next port, again at the guest's expense.

 

In the "old days" if the ship was off the dock but still near the port, the late running guests would be put on the pilot boat and brought to the ship. The only way to board the ship at that time was via Jacob's/pilot ladder to what's known as the Marshaling Area mid-ships. I've done that on Zuiderdam while wearing a full Santa Claus suit and lugging a bag full of presents 😉 I can guarantee you it's not that easy, especially not for the still average HAL passenger in their sixties or up in age. Subsequently, that practice (transferring to the ship via pilot boat and Jacob's ladder) is no longer being done, primarily for liability reasons.

 

The bottom line:

 

1. Make sure the ship has your cell/mobile phone and have it turned on and on your person off the ship

2. Know the All Aboard time and be back to the ship on time, especially if your doing your "own thing" I've seen a lot of pax take a quit photo of that Al Aboard sign at the gangway, just to have it handy when/if needed to confirm

3. Be aware of "ship's time" and "local time"

4. Place your passport inside your safe. Some pax carry those bad boys with them. That's a personal decision!  

5. Enjoy your cruise and ports o' call 🙂